When moving an accident victim it is imperative that the head and cervical portion of the victim be immobilized. Immobilization prevents further possible damage to various portions of the victim's spine during treatment and transportation. Over the years, a number of immobilizing devices have been used in emergency and medical situations.
Cervical collars are often used to prevent an accident victim or patient from turning his or her head and neck. These collars normally comprise two halves that encircle the wearer's neck providing rigid support for the cervical vertebrae.
Often, a cervical collar alone is not sufficient to immobilize the head and neck of a patient. It may be necessary to immobilize the victim's head and neck to a backboard or similar support means. Historically, this type of immobilization was accomplished by placing sandbags on either side of the victim's head and taping the head to the backboard. More recently developed devices use foam cushions or pillows to immobilize the patient's head while straps hold the pillows in place as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,777 (issued to R. Morrison on Aug. 5, 1975).
Another example of a device for restraining the head and neck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,994 (issued to R. W. Bashaw on Nov. 3, 1981). This device includes a headband with a pair of cushions which attaches to a support board by Velcro-like strips.
Still other devices use a plurality of adjustable straps which are permanently attached to the support board for immobilizing the patient's head and neck along with the rest of the patient's body.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,711, G. R. Williams provides a fold-up head support device that can be attached to a support means prior to its use.
All of the devices mentioned above and those similar in design have significant drawbacks when used in actual emergency situations. Patients in emergency situations often suffer a number of serious injuries requiring immediate medical attention. The time it takes to prepare and transport a patient can be the difference between life and death. In some instances, the faster a patient can get to a fully equipped trauma center the greater that patient's chances of survival. Increased use of quick response medical services such as helicopters, bolsters the emphasis on fast preparation and transport of patients.
Immobilization devices which require numerous straps and buckles can hinder emergency assistance process by wasting valuable time. In a similar fashion, complicated devices use valuable time to set up.
Many of the immobilization devices used in conjunction with backboards are composed of numerous parts and pieces. These parts and pieces are subject to loss and misplacement when not in use. The frantic nature and pace of an emergency scene can also lead to misplacement of vital parts and pieces. Some immobilization devices are rendered unusable when a small part or piece is missing.
There is a current need for a simple device for immobilizing an injured person's head and neck to a support board or similar device.
A further disadvantage found in current immobilization devices is that they easily absorb bodily fluids such as blood. The foam inside many cervical collars is porous in nature and readily absorbs bodily fluids. Support pillows in some immobilization devices invite similar absorbtion problems.
The fluids absorbed into these devices pose a cleaning problem before these devices can be reused. Major health concerns arise from the possibility of subsequent patients coming in contact with the absorbed bodily fluid. In particular, the rapid spread of the infectious disease AIDS presents a significant contamination hazard. Devices may become so inundated with fluid that they must be discarded before their useful lives have ended. There is a need for an immobilization device having easy-to-clean surfaces.
In generally reviewing the immobilizing devices found in the industry, a need can be seen for a head and neck immobilizing device that can be easily attached to a backboard or similar support means. Such an immobilizing device must be simple in design and quickly deployed. Additionally such a device must be easily cleaned to prevent the possibility of contaminating subsequent patients.